In order to achieve an increase in the power output of an internal combustion engine, the air to be admitted to the combustion can be compressed, for example with a turbocharger, before it is admitted to the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine. However, the compression of the air results at the same time in a heating of the latter that is disadvantageous for an optimum course of the combustion process. For example, it can cause premature ignition or an increased emission of nitrogen oxides. In order to avoid the disadvantageous consequences of the combustion of the supplied superheated air, a heat exchanger designed as an intercooler is installed downline of a turbocharger, with which heat exchanger the compressed air can be cooled to an admissible temperature before its combustion.
An intercooler is described, for example, in DE 197 57 034 A1. In the heat exchanger described there, the hot air is admitted to a first accumulating duct of the heat exchanger where it is distributed and flows into flat tubes that end in the accumulating duct. The flat tubes are arranged alongside one another, and with the side surfaces containing the long sides of their cross-section arranged parallel to one another, and form a flow path through which cooling air is guided. Cooling ribs are arranged between the flat tubes in the flow path and ensure an effective heat exchange between the flat tubes and the cooling air current. After passing through the cooling air current, the flat tubes end in a second accumulating duct that supplies the incoming cooled compressed charge air to the combustion process in the engine.